Unforgettable
by Serenithy 31
Summary: "She forgot about me again, and damn, it hurts like hell."He felt a painful twinge in his chest."I had her only to lose her again. After all this time, I've lost her." After so many years, Tony had Pepper Potts. That is, until one tragic night changed everything. The plan on how to make Pepper Potts remember him and fall in love with him, starts over.
1. Chapter 1

**Unforgettable**

 **Summary: "She forgot about me again, and damn, it hurts like hell." He felt a painful twinge in his chest and a horrible sinking feeling in the stomach. His heart got heavy, "I had her only to lose her again. After all this time, I've lost her. As usual. Because this is what always happens, she gets hurt and I'm about to lose my damn mind."**

 **After so many years, Tony had Pepper Potts.**

 **That is, until one tragic night changed everything.**

 **The plan on how to make Pepper Potts remember him and fall in love with him, starts over.**

 **Until you get too deep, you never know who really has your heart. You do not know how much your body craves a simple I love you.**

* * *

Hello everyone. This is my first story in English. I love this couple, so I decide to write about it.  
My language native is spanish, so i apologize for any mistakes in this chapter.  
I thank my best friend Caroline - angel for helping me with this story.

Hope you like.

I have four written chapters. Here we go.  
Kisses and hugs.  
 **Disclaimer: I don´t own Iron man.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Do I know you?**

"Pepper" Natasha whispered softly.

She was breathless, pain burning everywhere was mixed into a cluster of sensations.

"Are you giving up" Nat's voice whispered again, "Do not give up".

"Pepper, I need you to stay awake." A different voice seemed worried and restless as fingers kept feeling for her pulse, "Can you hear me?".

Ignoring that strange feeling of half despair and half pain that was quickly growing deep within her stomach, Pepper manages to open her eyes before fainting.

* * *

Everything hurt, but at the same time she just felt... Numb. Everything happening around her felt unreal.

Eventually Pepper managed to pry her eyes open. They hurt too, stinging with blurring tears, but the white unfamiliarity beyond the end of her nose resolved at last into a hospital room.

Hospital? What happened?

She was lying on her back, she realized, and tried to make sense of the four figures standing at the end of the bed. There were three people she didn't know, one woman and two men. The other, Happy.

Happy Hogan.

Wait. A taller, older and muscular Happy Hogan.

That's odd.

"Hey. Welcome back", Greeted the woman with short hair and pretty eyes. "You were almost dead for a long time, you scared the hell of us."

"Natasha" Bruce scolded.

Pepper's eyes widened, "Oh my God!"

Almost dead? Had something really bad happened? Is someone hurt?

"Pepper?" Happy looked at her closely. "Are you okay?"

Deep breaths, she told herself. She took a deep breath and pursed her lips.

 _"Pepper", She could hear the voices screaming._

Voices that did not leave anyone's lips. She frowned, not able to distinguish between illusion and reality.

 _"Pepper, come with me, honey."_

 _"Pepper, come with me, honey."_

The voices would not shut up. It was too much. Just – too much. She could do nothing but close her eyes and breath.

"Something is different about her", Natasha complained.

Rhodey gave her a worried look. "Something is wrong." His eyes did not leave Pepper for a second. "Happy call the doctor and Tony. Hurry up! "

 _"Pepper, come with me, honey."_

 _"Pepper, I call for you"_

Tears began to fill her eyes and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Her eyes were still closed, and all she wanted was for the voices to shut up. She wanted to wake up, she was sure she was asleep.

She suddenly let out a sob.

"Breathe Potts, come on." The new voice was almost hypnotic. A new man.

One of his hands founded its way to her face, tenderly stroking her cheek. His eyes were locked on hers, solemn and earnest as he spoke. She blinked at him, dazed.

His eyes were full of commotion. "It's okay", he whispered. "I'm here, Pepper."

His brown eyes were fixed on her, and she couldn't think nor move. She stubbornly stayed quiet, looking away from him, and she struggled not to flinch when he moved to stroke her cheek again. With the first brush of his thumb against her cheekbone, a shiver ran through her body. His skin was hot against her, just a simple touch igniting something foreign, yet so familiar.

She didn't know how long he stayed like that, but at some point, his lips are moving again. "Potts?" he asked, and although it seems like it's coming from far away, it still brings her back to reality.

He looks worried now, but she didn't understand, can't process what's happening. There's suddenly just too much going on in her head at once. There's thoughts about what she was hearing, or thinks she was hearing, because it could be her imagination, or just a dream, but at the same time it didn't feel like one.

She gave him a questioning look. "Do I know you?" Tony had pulled his hand away when she finished speaking, and she felt an emptiness run through her.

He laughed at the odd question and kissed the top of her head.

She couldn't subside a gasp of wonder. His beautiful eyes had her undeniably trapped in their magnetic hold. Her heart beat almost desperately, trying to understand this.

He was looking at her so lovingly when he responded, "Tony."

Her eyes were full to the brim with sincerity as she uttered four simple words, effectively shaking his defences. " Do I know you?"

He raised his head to look at her, confusion on his face.

Pepper stayed silent, looking at him mutinously.

There was an old sneaking numbness, a feeling of loss, understanding that washes over him. "No". He denied, taken aback by her words.

She studied his face, watching as he struggled with something inside but did not know how to express it. "You don't remember me." There is too much pain reflected in his eyes.

"You don't know who I am?" He repeated his statement, and she shook her head.

The pain is quite evident in the way his eyes did not stray from her when she said she did not remember. Pepper was particularly disturbed.

He was staring at her, eyes glassy with tears. "You don't remember me."

Pepper shook her head, not knowing what she was denying, but wanting him far away from her, where he couldn't be disgusted by her display.

What she said was true, yet why did she feel like a thousand-pound weight had just settled onto her shoulders?

He pressed his lips together in understanding, nodding as he took a step back. Her throat went dry all of a sudden. She could easily drown in his eyes and he wouldn't care, but the look he gave her threw away any part of her heart that was left.

And then she just wanted cry.

* * *

A sort of awkwardness filled the air. Five pairs of eyes watching expectantly.

She listened to their names. Natasha, Rhodey, Bruce. Tony and of course Happy.

"What hap-" She started to say, but her throat would not let her.

Her mouth tasted horrible, her body ached, and her ears were ringing. The IV made her arm feel funny, not in a good way.

"Here." Bruce offered, giving her a cup of water.

She drank cautiously, but the water was soothing. Her throat did not feel quite so sandblasted anymore.

"What happened?" The words came out slow and low.

Rhodey was kind and gave her a warm smile when he asked, "Do you know where you are?"

"The hospital", She stated, "In Malibu."

Rhodey shook his head. "Can you remember anything about last night?"

She struggled. It was confusing. But she tried to do it. "I went to a party with some friends."

"That's good", Rhodey's voice was soft and calm. His brown eyes scanned her and the occupants of the room, lingering a little longer on Tony.

She couldn't keep her eyes off of him. There's something about Tony that she couldn't quite figure out. He approached her again with more concern in his eyes, and she knew that everything had a deeper meaning to him than to the others. However, she had no idea why, and she was not sure that she wanted to know.

She frowned as she tried to remember something more, "Killian was there."

Tony stopped immediately, "What do you mean?" His posture stiffened as his eyes shifted to her. He was holding a breath that he did not even need, eyes widening in surprise.

"He was at Bambi's party", She sucked in a deep breath before exhaling, "He wanted a date"

Tony clenched his fists as he watched.

"What did you just say?" Tony whispered, his mind going completely blank.

"He was at Bambi's party. He wanted us to date"

"Bambi's party? Rhodey questioned as his eyebrows become furrowed.

He was sure that Bambi's birthday was not until december, and the actual month was february.

Her confused eyes flicked between the occupants of the room, "Yeah, her birthday."

Rhodey raised his eyebrows with an expression that said more than any words.

Pepper continued her story, "Someone screamed too loud. " She said several times as her voice grew quieter and quieter. "And... Darkness."

Silence. Too much silence.

The doctor chose that moment to appear.

"What happened to me? I can't remember", She asked slowly, glancing at Tony again during the conversation.

"You were in a car accident, a heavy collision. You are a very lucky woman to have survived", The man, Dr. Hazel she managed to read on his scrubs, shook his head. "You lost consciousness and your heart flat lined for a bit but we managed to bring you back."

The reality came crashing down on her, except it couldn't be true. It just couldn't.

A car accident? No… That means that… Oh god! Where is Megan? Is she okay? Is she hurt? Pepper exhaled a shaky breath, clenching her trembling hands. She felt as if there was a massive hole in her heart.

"Virginia-" The doctor began.

"Where is she? Is she hurt? Please tell me", Pepper looked frantically at the black-haired man as he cleared his throat.

"Who, sweetheart?" His voice sounded lower than before.

"Megan Phillips", She pleaded quietly.

Tony's face was as stoic as before, but his eyes told a completely different story.

Megan Phillips, she was a Pepper´s friend. The old secretary of Obadiah, one of the people who helped him in all his plans and who died tragically in a fire.

"Was Megan there, Virginia?"

"Why are you answering my question with another question?" She asked the doctor, her voice becoming much stronger as anger laced her tone.

She felt the need to emphasise her point, "She was with me at the party"

There was a short moment of silence, but the doctor broke it before they could do so themselves.

"Don't stress about it. You will probably get the memory back in a few days, or there is a chance it will never return. This kind of minor head trauma can cause a memory hiccup. It's fairly common and not something to worry about. Pushing can actually make a memory harder to recover, so if you leave it alone, it may come back sooner."

"I don't like not remembering."

"Listen to your body. You'll need to take it easy at least a few days. We'll get you some analgesic."

* * *

Everything was a blur after that. It was hard to concentrate over the dull pain in her skull, but she made out words like 'concussion' before she closed her eyes.

Tony was becoming impatient, his mind a bundle of ideas as his heart felt heavy in his chest.

He breathed deeply.

His hands moved a couple of times before his gaze fell on Melissa. Pepper had awakened again, giving the doctor an opportunity to examine her thoroughly. Now Rhodey's sister was in charge of delivering the news.

"How bad is it?" The words were forced out.

"The impact caused two broken bones."

Melissa looked at him and his heart felt even heavier in the face of silence.

"What haven't you told me?" Tony crossed his arms in exasperation.

The nurse rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease out a simple explanation. "With this kind of accident we always expect some consequences. They're common in these cases."

"Just tell me already", Tony practically shouted.

Melissa stroked his shoulder gently, a motherly gesture of comfort.

"She can't remember; she has partial memory loss. All her memories are before 2001. She knows her family, and she remembers her name now along with a few other random facts about her life, but she can't remember anything else."

"Is it permanent?" Tony asked her quietly.

"It's most likely only short-term amnesia but there is a chance that it might extend to long term memory loss, meaning that she won't remember a major part of her life, depending on which area of the brain has been affected. We are keeping her in for a few days. In some cases, the memories simply return when least expected, but you can't force her to remember everything without risking any serious consequences."

Tony touched his lips and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Holy crap, what is he supposed to do? Her words were hard to listen to, leaving him shaking his head and beginning to walking.

"She will never remember me" He stated, voice shaking as much as his hands.

His own words sink in exactly seven seconds later and Tony hastily leaves the hospital.

* * *

It was the silence that welcomed him, his body moving with heaviness as he deposited his stuff on the floor. His head was a mess, so many thoughts developing that he was sure it was going to explode any moment.

All because of one name, Pepper.

The only thing clouding his mind was her.

He couldn't help but think that he didn't deserve her.

Still, saying that it didn't hurt would be a lie, her words still stinging in his chest.

They echo in his head, his muscles tense and his jaw tightens. For several seconds, he is scared.

 _"Do I Know you?" She murmured._

Until you get too deep, you never know who really has your heart. You do not know how much your body craves a simple I love you.

His biggest regret is that he didn't say it out loud last night, and now everything is falling apart. Like it always does in his shit life. Something inside Tony is fractured, broken into pieces, and the look on Rhodey's face told him that he could see that.

"You're an idiot, Tony!" Rhodey shouted and Tony could not agree more with his thoughts.

It was not a question. He didn't try to answer.

Rhodey didn't give up, "You could not ignore this."

Tony gave him his best evasive look. Folded his arms like a petulant child, "Of course, watch me."

The Colonel rejected his diatribe with a nod, "That doesn't sound like fun to me."

He just rolled his eyes, beginning to talk about everything for a stretched five minutes.

Rhodey let out a sound between boredom exasperation, "You could at least try and look like you're paying attention."

"But I'm not, so why bother?" He said seriously, "Lying is bad, platypus"

"Mate" He began. "She is-"

"I know", Tony yelled in exasperation, "Damn it, I know"

"Then stop only thinking of you."

"God, please no. Okay?" He argued, beginning to move away from him, "Don't say anything, she doesn't remember me, Rhodes. She doesn't remember anyone", Tony whispered softly, his eyes reflecting despair. The Colonel could see a million regrets and terrible guilt etched on Tony' face. It made his heart ache. "She forgot about me, and damn, it hurts like hell", He felt a painful twinge in his chest and a horrible sinking feeling in the stomach. His heart felt heavy, "I had her only to lose her again. After all this time, I've lost her, as usual. Because this is what always happens, she gets hurt and I'm about to lose my damn mind."

Rhodey was smart enough to keep quiet.

"Somebody seriously needs to nail your ass to the wall."

"Go away!" He let out when he saw the brunette approaching. She no longer listened to him or laughed at something ridiculous that Rhodes had said. Life sucks, Tony noted.

"I'm not going anywhere", Natasha assured him earnestly, "And you can't force me." She added, folding her arms stubbornly.

"Well, if we're going to play this game, I was here first."

"Calm down." Rhodey suggested, gripping his arm.

"I'm trying to talk to you. I am on a mission that your friends have called intervention", Natasha confessed, "Sometimes it's necessary to see a woman's point of view. Are you afraid?" She asked quietly.

"Afraid of what?"

"That you care too much to see her suffer because of you. God knows how many bad things you've been through, how many bad things we've all been through. You're afraid of hurting her somehow."

"How deep of you. Did you get it on some medical website? Psychology for beginners, maybe?" Tony snapped.

"I'm serious!"

"So am I!" He replied, irritation evident in his tone, "I'm just a different person when I'm with her", He finishes, ignoring her appreciative look and shrugging. That's all. He had let it out.

Natasha looked at him, her facial expression softening and a slight smile appears on her lips "Do you love her?" She asked so quietly that it was almost a whisper.

Yes. Of course he did, and he has known it for some time. Since the third grade, long before something happened between them. He did not respond, he merely nodded once at her.

"If you want her," The redhead began, her voice caught her attention. "Then you have to fix this."

"Don't tell me", Tony sneered, faking a smile and applauding sarcastically. "Do you think I don't know that?"

"You're an idiot."

His heart rate increased, "What's that supposed to mean?"

The colonel could see where his friend's mind was drifting and placed a hand on his Tony' shoulder.

"She loves you Tony, even if she can't remember you. Dammit!", Natasha was angry,

"She was always be there for you. Pepper never allowed any of us to give up on you. She believed in you."

Every nerve in his body felt like it would explode with that statement.

"And now she needs us. She needs you. She's a frightened woman."

He clenched his jaw, able to feel the rapid beating of his own heart.

Natasha continued, "We will not leave her alone. I don't care if you're scared or you feel sad, because dammit, she needs you. And I'll kick your ass if you don't help her."

"Natasha" Rhodey scolded her.

Tears run down Tony' face, "She's right"

"You just need a plan to make Pepper fall in love with you again". He appeared hurt but does not argue with his best friend.

"You will not give up Stark", She paused licking her lips, "We will not leave you. Got it?"

"Uh huh" Tony answered.

His two friends smiled. Two real smiles.

"Good. The plan on how to make Pepper fall in love with you, starts over. "

* * *

His steps were slow and cautious, but he was true to what he believed in, and Tony believed in her. She would come back to him. He would sure about that. He couldn't stop himself, he looked at her lovingly. Her untidy curls were in her face, but he didn't move them away. Everything about her was intoxicating.

He took her face in his hands gently. "Since I met you, I stopped believing in coincidences. I knew because I had to, had to find someone to change my life, my way of thinking. You've taught me so much and there is so much to learn." He said aloud, but only silence hears his confession, "I don't know what, or who, I have to thank that you have crossed my path, but you're the best I could have found. I've looked at you in millions of ways and I've loved every single one."

"I wish I was brave enough to say this while you're awake", He whispered in her hair, "I'm in love with you Pepper Potts."

* * *

 **TBC…**

 **Poor Tony…He has regrets, regrets of all the times he hurt her, made her doubt herself, did things for him without him showing her any gratitude. Maybe now he can be the person he wished he had been all along? Not everyone gets a do-over in this life Tony this may be the one way to right your many wrongs when it comes to this woman.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. =)**

 **If you take the time to read, please take time to comment.**

 **Feel free to let me know what you think. Questions, suggestions, opinions, anything goes.**

 **I invite you to read my others stories.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello...  
First I want to thank all those people who read my story; It is amazing the support I have had. Thank you very much indeed, means a lot to me that they like my story. I really thank all who have encouraged me to continue this story.**

 **I had to divide this chapter in two. The first part focuses on what you read, and the following is a conversation between Tony and Pepper.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.  
A big hug. Kisses, blessings and good vibes for everyone.**

 **Thanks to Hayleyj9 yo have been a sun. Thanks for your help.**

 **No beta.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to oneiroitane, Elisabpshady, Caroline-Angel and** sambayar **.** **Thanks for commenting, your words were very sweet.**

 **Disclaimer: I don´t own Marvel or Iron man.**

* * *

 **"You can forget what happened but not how you felt."**

Someone said forgetting was a blessing.

She believed it for a long time.

She used to beg the deities of the world to let her forget.

To grow up and forget everything.

When loss touches her whilst she was being so young, that unbearable pain was forcing her to leave the past behind and she just wanted to forget everything.

Forget them.

Forget herself in the process.

But it never happened.

She was jealous of how easy it was for some people to keep the past away, to keep the memories at bay. To keep the pain aside.

Now she cursed her fate. Her wish had been fulfilled, but the pain has not gone away. It was worse, was a kind of half-blessing. A curse. One where she had forgotten who she is, but not her past. The painful memories still accompanied her, clung to her. Took her root.

She could remember all those moments and people who are no longer with her.

 _"Virginia, my child"_ _the voice started…_

It was a knock on the door and a sudden entrance to the room that woke her up. Her eyes widened in surprise and panic, evaporating rapidly as she saw the silhouette of the nurse beside her bed.

The woman with warm eyes checked her vital signs, and the proportion of the drugs that ran through her veins, then she was gone.

Like everyone else.

* * *

It was a cloudy night. The rain threatened to fall on the streets, Pepper noted while she looked at the horizon from her window.

The voices had stopped, she realized. That was good. She was able to remove auditory hallucinations from the list of things that seem to affect her.

However, her head was still spinning, millions of unanswered stagnant questions clinging to her chest. What had happened? Why did not she remember anything yet?

She opened her eyes, regretfully beginning to catalogue the bruises she could feel. There were plenty of them, hips, and arms and legs, but none that looked too serious.

Collision by scope is the biomechanical explanation to her accident. This usually occurs when a vehicle is stopped and is hit from behind by another vehicle. The body tends to go forward by transmission of the energy of the colliding vehicle to the occupants of the vehicle hit. The thorax is accelerated forward along with the seat back, however, the head responds to this movement with respect to the neck (not accelerated with the rest of the body) producing backward hyperextension if the back of the head has not been raised properly. That would explain the headache, and the bruises scattered on her body.

She remembered seeing that explanation at some point in her childhood.

But it by no means explains what happened to Megan. Nobody spoke about Megan Phillips. Not even a simple explanation about her.

Its existence also pretended her with another problem. She hesitated.

As far as she knew… she was with Megan at the party.

Pepper frowned.

And Killian.

She shook herself, trying to refocus her thoughts.

She needed to know what had happened. And the answer was not within the four walls of a hospital room.

Megan had been her friend since uni, her support in many difficult times. Life had reunited them since, and fate led them to work together.

Pepper needed to know the truth.

* * *

It took her fifteen minutes to find her own purse, and another fifteen to get dressed. A cotton skirt and a lilac blouse would do the job.

She did not take into account the paradigms that were raised about her. Although her mind did not seem to remember the hospital, her body knew how to move through the aisles and away from the curious glances.

Remarkable. Very remarkable indeed.

But she did not stop. Not until her feet touched the firm ground and her skin felt the cold air.

Her mind was still a mess. Even the taxi driver noticed her condition, but he was kind enough to refrain from commenting.

She thanked him for it. She did not answer questions for which she had no answer.

* * *

Seven minutes later she managed to pay and get away from the man's gaze.

Unfortunately, what she found alone made her heart beat louder.

Clearly it was no longer Megan´s property. This place was different.

A house in the middle of a vacant lot greeted her.

It was not until her eyes roamed the place, that the parts of the puzzle come together.

Goodbye to all the memories of pajama parties, and planting of wildflowers in her huge garden.

No. All that was replaced with the remains of the house, black walls and ashes clinging to what used to be a beautiful garden.

A burnt house. A fire.

She could not go one step further.

Her body tried, with all its might, to stop her. Her heart seemed to stutter in her chest, attempting to keep up with the pure terror she felt. Pepper hadn't encountered more fear than the average person in her life but she could imagine that getting in a car crash, or speeding into a head-on collision was on par with the absolute horror of putting her heart on the line.

"A real waste". His voice was strong behind her. "It used to be the most beautiful house in the neighborhood. Such a tragedy".

She felt a pang in her chest as the words left the old man's lips and reached her ears.

"What..." Her voice stammered. "What happened?"

He could not have been over 65 years old. His hair was gray and his appearance somewhat rocky. But he in no way meant danger. He watched her carefully as he began to speak.

"Nine years ago, A terrible accident happened. A gas leak."

Pepper's heart was beating far too fast.

The man lowered his head, a sigh escaped from his lips. "She was such a nice young woman, a secretary who worked not far from here." His next words were serious. "They found her dead the morning of the twenty-eighth of February, 2008. The house burned the day before. That's the official story"

She swallowed hard, her eyes glimmering. Nine years ago. But that didn't make it easier to hear.

This couldn´t be happening. She had to be dreaming.

The only person she remembers to have been with lately, had died years ago.

Sordid pain. Nails crashing into the skin. That would leave a bruise.

"Are you alright?"

Her breathing came to a stop. However, she did not show it.

A mask covered her face as she smiled. A perfect smile.

"Everything is perfect." She stressed the final word and batted her long eyelashes.

He gave her a curious look but said nothing more. His footsteps echoed as he walked away leaving her deeply affected.

Her body felt heavy, and a pain settled all over her chest at the thought of Megan, nice, gorgeous Megan. Her only friend for years.

* * *

She was sitting on the sidewalk, when the rain began. Ironically, the state of the climate coincided with her present state. Pepper felt broken, fragmented like the raindrops that ran down her skin.

And then she became aware of his presence.

It was Tony... Tony with a worried look on his face.

He seemed to be debating with himself the moment he stood up, and walked towards her. "And who in their right mind would not?" Pepper repeated in her mind.

They looked at each other for what seemed an eternity. His heart was pounding at the same time, wondering when she was going to throw the bomb on him. There was something very wrong in her vibrant eyes - tonight they were dark and sad. Seeing her like this was agonizing. He wanted to touch her, hold her, and calm her down. But she looked fragile, as if the slightest touch would break her in a million fragments.

"You have to control yourself. You haven't even started yet and you are already overdriving". He said to himself. He was her protector. But he felt like her executioner.

After several minutes he found himself standing in silence, near Pepper who was sitting on the sidewalk, her gaze turned to him once more, the painful tears forming in her eyes, giving them a terrible moisture.

"Can I sit with you?" he asked.

He did not receive a response from her. She simply looked at him from under her lashes, her eyes sad and tired, she looked so different than usual that the vision caused immense pain to Tony.

"Can I sit with you?" he asked again. As if he really needed her permission to do anything. When Pepper motioned for him to do it, he did it very quickly, looking at her for a long moment.

There were warm tears running down her cheeks, she could feel them, although she hadn't realised that she'd started crying. Embarrassed, she wiped her face dry with the backs of her hands.

"What are… She had to stop and swallow several times. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, Potts, what else?" His voice sounded strange, a mixture of deep agony and desperation trying to be contained, waiting to be released.

"I'm fine, I just need some air." She responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Tony nodded, watching her closely.

"You need to get back to the hospital," he said, sounding calmer but very grim. Pepper blinked her eyes clear and squinted up at him.

"I don´t want to go to the hospital. "

He stared at her for a moment, looking utterly helpless. "Pepper…"

She looked so frightened, so alone, so individual, so hurt. As if she was broken. In addition, her eyes poured tears. She looked so in need of physical closeness that it was suddenly unbearable for him. And although he did not understand it, he himself had to enjoy it, just to keep the demons at bay a bit longer.

He moves forward and cups her face in his hands, trying to sound both commanding and comforting as he says, "Shh, Pepper, look at me."

He did not know what to do. He really wanted to be there for her, he was really trying. But to comfort someone else? Who would have thought that he, Tony Stark would ever be comforting someone?

The answer came to him as Pepper let out a choked sob. And in an instant the man's arms clung gently to her.

She did not run away, she did not retreat, she simply stared at those disconsolate brown eyes, knowing that the time had come. A tear ran down her cheek as he hugged her and held her small body in his arms, caressing her hair as more tears came.

"Shh," he whispered, calming her with soft touches as his hands ran down her back. "It´s alright, everything will be fine," he assured her.

His fingers came to frame her face once more, and his thumbs gently ran over her cheekbones before one of his hands moved to her jaw, her neck. It vaguely occured to him that he's subconsciously doing what she used to do to soothe him, long before all that madness happened to them. "Just breathe," he whispered. "Breathe."

She whispered through tears. "Just... don't go."

"I will not," he whispered again as he pushed the strand of hair away from her eyes. "I'm here, sweetheart"

"I just…" were the words of Pepper drowning. There was heat spreading in the heart of Tony, one that joined the existing pain. His grip on Pepper tightened as he tried to hold onto both of them.

Tony gave her a look full of so many emotions that Pepper did not know how to handle it.

Flashes of past memories continued to invade her mind and a sea of emotions threatened to escape from her eyes. She swallowed and moved forward, pulling her arm around her as she pressed her face to his chest, inhaling the scent of his cologne. As if by instinct, his other arm wrapped around her to embrace her completely. There was something about him that smelled of comfort, home, security, being in his arms and wrapped in his heat is a fact that brought her to the edge, silent tears started staining his shirt. Tony looked at her, feeling the dampness of the burning through the tissue of his skin.

He stopped as Pepper buried her face in his chest. "I'm sorry" was the only answer Tony could manage to provide.

Pepper looked into his eyes, wondering if his eyes were a mirror image of her own. He was different, too. He was broken like her.

Renounced, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him as if there were no tomorrow, because it felt like there was not.

Eventually, her breathing finally slowed down, and Tony felt her relax. He was so relieved he felt like an actual weight had been lifted off his chest.

"Pepper?"

A few seconds passed, and then she finally opened her eyes, the incredible baby blue looking up at him.

"Hey there," he chuckled.

"Hi." She weakly smiled, too, and he had never wanted to kiss her more than in that moment.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, her eyes remaining on the floor.

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him once more. She felt the press of his lips against her hair before he whispered so quietly she could hardly hear him. "You'll be fine, Pepper Potts,"

And at that moment, it was when he finally realized something he had known all along. He had never admitted it before, at least not until the night before.

He truly loved Pepper.

* * *

 **TBC...**

 **If you take time to read, you please take the time to comment. Let me know what you think.  
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.**

 **I invite you to read my others stories.**

 _ **In the next chapter:**_

 **"You're everything to me, Pepper." He wanted to say. "I've never been so afraid of losing something as much as that night. You are the last piece of humanity that I have left in this world. If I lost you, I do not know what I would do." But he knew she was not ready to listen to his open heart. So he just shook his head and gave her a grimace very close to a smile.  
"I was a little worried about you, that´s all".**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello...  
First I want to thank all those people who read my story; It is amazing the support I have had. Thank you very much indeed, means a lot to me that they like my story. I really thank all who have encouraged me to continue this story.**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.  
A big hug. Kisses, blessings and good vibes for everyone.**_

 _ **Thanks to Hayleyj9 yo have been a sun. Thanks for your help.**_

 _ **No beta. If someone knows someone who wants to help me being my beta, please write me**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don´t own Iron man.**_

* * *

 _Sometimes the person who you least expect is able to turn your world on its head in a flash, and you are scared to know that your heart is in the hands of someone other than you._

 _It frightens you to look back and begin to understand where all the feeling and attachment came from. Is it spontaneous, or is it when that person looks at you?_

 _But he knew that it did not matter to be afraid to try, because if his heart could get excited by just hearing her voice or feeling her presence, he understood that nothing in the world was better than being wrapped in her arms and feel the attachment… that soft, slow caress of her hand to rest on his waist. It was that sensation which made the world stop spinning for a minute. It was that tingling when he saw her eyes flutter in the light, and her golden smile conquer his chest again. That was the chemical reaction he has heard about, that he was feeling now by clearing his thoughts and analysing what the word love really means. It was opportunity, it was sincerity, excitement, surprise, and that's exactly what Tony Stark must have yelled at Pepper Potts._

 _That he was not really sure where the road will take them, that she may hate him tomorrow, but today he loved her, as he had never loved anyone before. That fear was still there, but it was not a bad fear, just an incentive that made him think that he did not want to lose her, that he wanted to be there for her._

 _That was why he kept running his fingers in quiet circles on her back. Her embrace was warm and gentle. Something that somehow brought peace to his own undone world. Her breath tickled his neck, and he soon noticed that he had begun to feel nervous, so much so that the beating of his own heart seemed to thunder in his ears._

He made an effort to pull himself together.

"Pizza?"

Pepper frowned. "What?"

"I don't think you've eaten in all day and it is common knowledge that the food offered by the hospital is not really great," he stated.

The feeling of déjà vu came to him. And Tony was about to come up with a new excuse when Pepper raised her eyebrows, a gleam in her eyes. "Go ahead; do not let me stop you"

He let out an excited sigh.

That was as far as he could pull together. Fuck.

He stood by her side as they walked, she said nothing else and he dared not say anything that could trigger more of her tears.

He did not want to stop looking at her, not even when they were sitting in the car. He could not help but notice her expressions of surprise as she watched the streets, the wrinkle of her brow as she passed through a place she considered unknown. He noted the grimace of her lips as she found herself lost in what he thought was a memory.

He could not keep his gaze away; she was painfully tangible at his side. Her closeness was a memory that he thought he had almost lost.

He wanted touch her. So badly.

This was something he had never experienced before, this impetus, unwavering need to comfort someone.

To comfort her.

For a moment they looked at each other. Tony wracked his brain to try and find out what she was thinking.

She seemed to read his thoughts. "It's strange. It feels like seeing the city for the first time." She paused. "And at the same time there are similar things. Things I remember. "

Tony looked genuinely puzzled for a moment.

"Eventually your memories will come back. Try not to overwhelm yourself, Potts."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I thought you could use a person to talk to." He answered with a calm voice, though his face was grave.

She did not say anything, but by the way she looked at him, he knew she wanted to talk to him. Her eyes lingered on the corners of his mouth, apparently searching for a smile, but she continued to stare at him. That lily of butterflies, which he had not felt in years, appeared, giving battle against his stomach. A battle that unfortunately his stomach seemed to lose.

"Potts, I can practically hear your brain running overtime."

She tilted her head nervously." "I… It sounded a little crazy"

He could sense her anxiety, and responded by encouraging her. "There is nothing that you could say to me that sound you are crazy"

Her lips twitched and she shook her head in understanding.

"Talk to me, please," he murmured as he reached out and gently took her hand. He had no idea what he was doing, but he was set on following his instincts.

Her hand did not flinch away from him. It was the fourth time in three days that he had given thanks to the heavens. He must have been becoming a man of faith.

"I'm afraid I'm going to discover that I've been a terrible person." She swallowed, looking away from him instinctively. "That everyone hates me. That my dreams haven't been fulfilled. That I'm trapped in a life that makes me unhappy" She was staring at his shirt, avoiding eye contact, as if she was too nervous to look at him. "Tony, I am afraid that I became the person I never wanted to be."

After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

"There is no one in this world who could hate you, Pepper Potts." He leaned forward slightly as if he was about to tell her a secret. "You are a talented woman, appreciated and recognized in a field dominated by men. Your works can only be described as pieces of art – in terms of accounting, at least." He laughed slightly, trying to ease her, but when she didn't react, he continued. His voice was calm and soft. "You are passionate in your area, so much that you love being a CEO. Teach. Even to those group of idiots that call themselves your apprentices. I'm sure you have a good life, Pepper"

"Wow, all that? Nothing bad?" she joked.

He seemed amused. "You´re incredible bossy sometimes."

She laughed, despite the fact that the conversation was serious. Pepper blamed the weariness that was gradually beginning to take over. "Seriously, I…" she murmured.

"Don't worry, Pep," he whispered quietly before choosing the exact words she needed to hear, as he always did. "An exceptionally strong woman like you can overcome anything"

The trust in his voice scared her more than anything else. "Thank you, Tony."

* * *

The place was oddly deserted, considering that this was a Wednesday night.

It was a mix between cozy and rustic. Several simple tables were dotted around the room, as well as a dark wood bar containing five high chairs. The room was filled with the pleasant smell of wood, pine, and mint. Soft music was tinkling in the background, nothing too heavy.

He knew she liked this place. It reminded her of her father. Made her feel at home.

"I would not have taken you for someone who likes these kinds of places," Pepper said skeptically, taking a seat in front of him.

"Someone once told me to try new things." He smiled. One of those special smiles that he reserved for her. "There is something about this place that I find fascinating."

"They must be an important person, if you follow their suggestions."

Tony took a moment to respond. When he finally opened his mouth, he spoke slowly.

"She is."

Pepper looked at him, though she was unable to add anything to the conversation.

Tony was kind enough to say a joke, just for her own peace of mind.

"Loss of memory is the prize at the bottom of each bottle of whiskey."

Pepper laughed.

"The doctor believes that by re-entering my life, it will lead to neuronal activation and will allow me to remember everything. Since the brain forms new neuronal pathways, helping the neural circuit to grow will allow it to create connections with other pathways." She looked at him resignedly, letting out a sigh. "It might take a while."

"A journal," Tony said suddenly.

"Umm… what?" Pepper said.

"I have read a couple of testimonials from people who have experienced post traumatic amnesia, their condition has been drastically reduced with the use of personal notebooks, journals. " He spoke like an expert on the subject. "Fred Camper, fifty-seven, a family man and worker for the Dutch pharmaceutical industry, was the victim of a collision two years ago. Margaret Holland, twenty-five years old. Full-time model and photography lover. Car accident. Three years ago. Hugo Perkins, twenty, an economics student at Harvard University. Motorcycle accident, one year and five months ago." His voice sounded a little hoarse by now. "All have described their experiences in fragmented way in notebooks for a period of time between six months and a year. The results have been remarkable, allowing a more efficient cognitive function. And an even more satisfactory recovery," he continued. "I think you should try it."

Pepper remained silent, thinking about his words. He clearly had made an effort to research online. And taking the trouble to read all those testimonies for her.

Somehow, that made her feel appreciated.

Appreciated by a man who she barely knew.

A man whose brown eyes could cause armies to plunge into war.

Pepper was not sure why Tony was interested in her. He was someone who most likely had women queueing up for him, if the looks of the waitresses and female clients were any indication.

There was something there, something about his manner that she could not put her finger on. But it made her feel strange.

Her eyes tore away from the cup of tea was scalding her hands and turned to rest on him.

He was smiling at her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking. God, she hoped he would not develop telepathy or anything. She wouldn't be surprised.

"I think personal journals are an incredible idea," she said quickly, unsure of how long had passed since he had spoken.

He nodded his head, quietly pleased by her gratitude

"It would be good for me to know other things too, about you and me... I mean..." She flushed and looked away, embarrassed.

He laughed. "You and me what?" he said.

She smiled and good Lord, he loved her smile. He had been waiting for her for what felt like years. He felt the muscles in his face contract, clench, as his mouth was widening. Now he was smiling. He had never seen himself smile before; he probably looked as ridiculous as his love for Pepper was. But underneath it all, there was an amazing feeling. There was no better feeling than to see her smile.

"How did we meet?" she asked curiously.

Tony's tongue slipped out to wet his lips.

There was a story there, no doubt. She looked at him but he only raised his eyebrows.

"We work together."

She lowered her gaze. "Are you an accountant?"

He smirked. "Pretty close. I'm a CEO- Full-time Super Hero."

"So, I analyse the facts while you save lives?"

"Exactly," he said. He gave her one of his sudden grins.

"Super hero. That´s amazing."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He shrugged "Platypus used to say that"

"Platypus?"

"Yes, you know, Rhodey."

"Oh, you mean James."

"Who's James?" Again he laughed.

The waitress brought their food over, and they paused, unwilling to share their private conversation.

"I hope the food here is much better than the hospital," Tony said.

"I have to say, it smells delicious." She smiled gratefully as she took a bite. "And tastes even better. You are a life saver."

Tony's face was full of innocence. "'Saver of lives' appears under 'special abilities' in my résumé."

Pepper was proud to still not have blushed.

* * *

It was strange, but she could guess his movements. Even without looking at him, she could see his gaze fixed on her, so caring it was almost a caress. For a moment she thought about turning to him and holding his gaze until he pulled away, but she changed her mind and decided not to give him that satisfaction.

"Tony?" She breathes his name like it was sacred. "How did you know I was at Megan's?" Pepper studied him closely as she waited for his answer. When he did not reply, she continued: "Why were you looking for me?"

It was his turn to avoid eye contact with her. He had thought of her almost obsessively since the previous night, and he knew that if she could give him a chance, Tony could give her the whole truth. The problem was, he was not sure he wanted to. Once he did, he could never take it back.

"You're everything to me, Pepper," he wanted to say. "I've never been so afraid of losing something as much I was that night. You are the last piece of humanity that I have left in this world. If I lost you, I do not know what I would do." But he knew she was not ready to listen to him pour his heart out. So he just shook his head and grimaced.

"I was a little worried about you, that's all".

To be fair, he wasn't lying.

"Thank you," she murmured, astonished that Tony could care so much.

"What?"

She looked him in the eye, and for the first time she could see the genuine concern there.

"Thank you. For looking for me." His face filled with surprise, and suddenly his expression was as transparent as the water in her glass.

He ran an agitated hand through his hair and then stood up. "Never mind. On your feet, Potts, time to go."

Then he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek – briefly, firmly, as if to underline something.

She said goodbye. His world became opaque, without light. It became filled with silence and disaster as he watched her walk slowly toward to her hospital room.

* * *

 **TBC...**

 **If you take time to read, you please take the time to comment. Let me know what you think.  
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.**

 **I invite you to read my others stories.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello...  
First I want to thank all those people who read my story; It is amazing the support I have had. Thank you very much indeed, means a lot to me that they like my story. I really thank all who have encouraged me to continue this story.**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.  
A big hug. Kisses, blessings and good vibes for everyone.**_

 _ **No beta. If someone knows someone who wants to help me being my beta, please write me**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don´t own Iron man.**_

 **Dreaming of her**

* * *

The band fell from his eyes and it was as if he woke from a dream, one that had lasted for years.

He opened his eyes clouded by the darkness and realized how silly he had been.

He tried so hard to live to the fullest, that he forgot to focus on the small details, to appreciate the good things that life had.

He thought she would give up everything for him in a moment, in every situation, no matter what he did. That was something he was clear about. That was his first mistake, a common mistake.

He thought that his present would continue as he wanted it, that what he had with her was eternally secure. That was his second mistake.

When he began to take her for granted, he failed to see the true importance of everything that surrounded her. He stopped striving for what he wanted and turned his face and heart to the true essence of life and love.

He was never fatalistic, but he was too blind to understand how fragile the thread of his happiness could be.

Only, when he finally understood, it was too late.

Why did she have to forget everything the moment he understood?

Unfortunately, no one warned him that eternal regret is the cost of good times.

And now that's all he did… regret.

His mind could only conjure a phrase: Say what you mean when you have the feeling and the opportunity. Tomorrow could be too late.

And Dear God, he was late.

His steps were slow, tired. The overcoat that he held on his body for a while (just because it smelled like her) now clung to the chair by the window.

His hands rested on his knees as he sat down on the couch.

Seraph purred a couple of times near him, but slunk away after realizing that his footsteps did not sound like that of his mistress.

Now even Pepper's cat seemed to hate him.

 _Guilty. He listened in his mind._

 _Guilty. He felt the pang in his heart._

Tony frowned, went back to doing his best to not think about Pepper Potts.

And failing miserably.

To his luck the dream reached him. Or not.

* * *

"You do not fool anybody here, Tony boy". The voice was making fun of him.

Her lips were the first thing he saw, red and full of lies and truths.

Lies that fall in love. Truths that hurt the hearts of the unfortunate souls who have had the fleeting joy of falling into her web of passion.

Her hair was tied up, a simple headdress atop her head. Her green silk dress brushed the floor. And she was there looking dangerously sinful.

A Woman. Christine Everhart

Tony did not answer. He just waited for the sarcastic remark he knew would come from her.

"Fool. You take her for granted."

Her lips curved into a satisfied smile as she saw his perfect façade fall into a grimace.

"Did I ask your opinion?"

"Really?" she asked in an ironic tone.

Tony looked at her in bewilderment, so the woman turned to look at his beautiful brown eyes. "What happened, Romeo? Too much for the girl?"

"That is none of your concern". He replied, keeping his voice down.

Christine let out a bubbly laugh.

"So this is what it's going to be then? Are you just going to keep lying to yourself?" She put her hands on either side of Tony.

"Shut up." Tony snapped waspishly.

His movement was quick, placing two paces between them. She simply nodded, disappointed.

"You should have a sign of mood swings."

His answer was accompanied by a grimace. "You have the gift of getting the worst of me."

She laughed and his level of discomfort only increased. "You know I find your distaste for me, really funny." She smiled.

He pouted.

"Well, you can never have everything you want, Mr. Stark."

"But I always have what I want." he declared.

"This shows that it is not so." Her voice was full of caution. "There will come a day when your little bubble will burst." Christine gave him a sad look. "And I'm sure your beautiful Pepper." – her voice filled with disdain and bitterness when she pronounced the nickname – "will not be there for you. She'll run the farthest away from you. Why, that's what everybody does, Tony. Leave you."

If the woman had hit him in the face, it would have hurt less.

* * *

Because what she was saying was true, he did take Pepper for granted. He did. For years. Nothing could change that fact, nor erase it. That fact perhaps made it worse. Now he could play with each of his memories, examine them, and see what he did wrong. How he hurt her and how he thought she was nothing more than an ordinary woman. Just a means to an end.

 _"She'll run the farthest away from you."_

That's what he deserved.

"You're thinking about it right now, aren't you?" asked Natasha slyly.

Natasha. The spy, the friend, his friend.

Her next words were filled with sincerity that he rarely heard. "You don't have to believe her."

He let out a sigh. His gaze shifted from the couch to her.

For a moment he closed his eyes. "You always manage to catch me at my lowest point."

Nat took a step forward, and reached out to squeeze Tony's hand.

"I have always seen you as you are." she said. "In the good and bad moments." Her touch was warm and had am oddly calming effect on him. "You are an incredibly intelligent man, for the most part. And absurdly blind other times." She let out a laugh. "But you are Tony Stark and I like you."

His eyes softened, as he gave her a tender smile. "Thank you, Nat."

"Well, look at that. The Grinch's heart just grew three sizes today."

"Maybe two." He looked at her as he joked. "My ego is not as careless as yours."

She looked at him for a long moment. Tony could almost swear she was just waiting for another of his comments. Or maybe she was analysing him.

"There are things that never change."

Nat smiled, instinctively wrapped her arms around his figure. Just when she realized Tony's gesture was difficult and she was about to set him free, he embraced her again. Maybe it was tiredness, or maybe it was just an excuse, but he needed a friendly hug.

"Why are you hugging me?" he asked finally.

"What can I say? I'm an educated woman." She smiled. "The situation merited a courtesy."

Nat didn't remove her eyes from Tony's face.

"You broke your promise," she said without emotion. And he knew that she has hit the nail on his unspoken question.

That truth has been told.

His eyes were filled with so much pain that was almost tangible.

She shook her head in disagreement. "It's not your fault. God knows you're everywhere, but you still cannot stop someone from getting hurt. Accidents happen."

He was a disastrous fire that burned in his chest, devouring something he thought was devoid of his heart. For the first time in his life he felt like a fish out of the water that struggled to breathe, drowning endlessly. He never felt this pain, never in his life. He used to think of himself as an empty glass without feelings at all, but right now he was filled to the brim with terror, pain, regret, guilt…

 _Guilty. He listened in his mind._

 _Guilty. He felt the pang in his heart._

"She would not have gone that night if it wasn't for me, Nat." He ran a hand through his hair, trying to regain some control over the situation. "She almost died for me, for my stupid pride."

"No, no." She shook her head, and he was too relieved to question how it was possible for Nat to appear in his dreams just to help him.

Nat's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Listen to me, you idiot. You are in no way guilty of what happened to Pepper. She got hurt, that is the reality. But I am not allowing you to give up! Stop pitying yourself." She stated pointing his chest with one of her perfectly made nails. "You have a new opportunity to do well everything you did wrong. And dear Lord, was those are a lot of things."

Tony let out a sad smile. "You are relentless, Natasha Romanoff. It is impossible to say not to you."

She smiled smugly. "Alright, I would not want to go back and have to kick your slim back. Dreams or not." She took a minute and then added. "Well, look, Tony, I suppose your package includes an eternal curse of being a toxic idiot, and the inability to have normal relationships. But it also includes an intelligent man, an emotional man, who has so much affection to give that he is sitting in the couch of his girlfriend's apartment, asking for the help, to win her back. Someone kind, someone brave, who is not afraid to die for those he loves. Someone who has a heart of gold. Someone who is becoming the best version of himself, every day that passes, just for her. That's all you have to remember, Tony Stark."

He turned to look at her, a few tears escaping from his eyes, but she was already gone.

* * *

Tony ran down the hall. He stopped three feet away from her and caught his breath.

Her silhouette shone between the dim light and the dark, and made her look like an ethereal angel.

An angel who brought light once into his life, but left leaving him alone in total darkness.

The angel who always overwhelmed him.

The angel turned around and smiled. A bright smile. One of those smiles Tony knew.

The smile spread across the angel´s face as he watched her. Her hair was wrapped in a ponytail, as usual, and she was wearing one of the his T- shirts. He smiled to the view.

He liked it. He liked her smile that brightens everything with her light.

He liked everything about her.

Over the years, she had become something that he wanted to have. She was like a Rubik's cube that he could not solve. He liked that about her. He could not help it. It was as if she were a magnet that his eyes were drawn.

She smiled again. Pepper waited for him to stop panting. He did, lifting his head and simply gazing back at her, not saying anything.

"What have you been doing all this time?" Her voice tormented his sanity, threatening his heart like a bishop to the king in a great game of chess.

"Waiting for you," he whispered and she noticed how his beautiful brown eyes shone with an unusual tone.

"Something's wrong." Her words were soft. Full of worry that he did not want her to have. He did not seem to tarnish the sight of her in his mind.

He wanted to lie, but even lying to her here made him feel terribly wrong.

"It's my fault?" Pepper asked without looking.

He knew that it was a topic that he had evaded only a few hours ago, but a part of his brain urged him to tell her the truth.

"No, it's not you. I just feel that you'll fade away and I do not want that. I do not want to think that I'm living a dream...

"Shh. Don't say that." Pepper looked at him, her eyes bright as candles. And that sensation seized him, that flame that burned inside him the moment his angel's blue eyes fixed on him as if he were the most beautiful person on the planet. That flame burned his chest, made his skin rise to an impossibly high temperature. He did not respond, but his heart still beat rapidly.

"I'm here. I will not go anywhere, not without you." She took his hand.

He didn't say anything to that. Sometimes they don't need words. He'd never really been good at words anyway.

"Tony," she breathed. But he was not ready to talked about it.

"You always have me."

She stroked his hand with her fingertips. It was so gentle and soft. His mother used to do that to help him fall asleep.

No, wait. That was not true.

He could see it now. And it was all his own fault.

Tony felt his throat begin to constrict. "I'm so, so sorry." he said earnestly, seeking forgiveness in those eyes.

"I know."

Tony sighed. "I am sorry for being rude to you on many occasions." He blinked, and then scowled as if disappointed with himself. "I must admit that you have done nothing but treat me very well for years and I have repaid you by being a jerk".

Her gaze had a touch of comfort he did not expect, but he welcomed it anyway.

Pepper was his lighthouse, and he was desperate to see her light again.

"Tony, I have loved you for years. And for all that time, I knew that somewhere inside that cold, lifeless exterior, there had an actual human soul." She pointed to him for emphasis. "Uh-huh, and that once you were done pretending to be a jerk, you would eventually go off and show me the amazing man that I knew you were."

Pepper, his perfect and beautiful PA/CEO/girlfriend took a deep breath. "You did. I saw you. The real you. I saw behind the jerk boss. I saw the empty shell of the boy; the lonely, misunderstood teenager; the intelligent man who was only looking for answers. I fell for every part of him, every defect, every smile, every look, and every cruel grimace." She placed her free hand on his cheek, her touch a gentle feather's brush. "Because when you love someone, you love every part of them. You love the good and the bad, no matter what. I fell for you, Tony, I fell hard, and that means I love you. And I believe I always will do." Her words became velvety caresses that covered his heart. "Don´t be afraid. I have always thought we had this sort of connection. Unspoken, of course." Pepper laughed. "I will see you. The real you. And I will love you forever."

It felt so good to have her back, like when he put the last piece of the puzzle in the right place and the image he tried so hard to build is complete.

He leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes looked close to storms, but he did not release her. He seemed reluctant to truly let her go.

"I love you, Pepper Potts." he whispered, and she noticed how his beautiful eyes shone with a unique tone.

"My mind was doing everything to erase you, for years, but it failed. You told me you loved me when I thought no one would, and I fell in love with you when you thought I never would. I could not love you the way you want me to, but that does not mean it's not love now."

She nodded, understanding his words. The fingers of her other hand were like wind in his hair, gently combing through the rebellious curls to calm him.

"Just not be so jerk this time. Please!"

"They've told you that you're very smart, Pepper."

"Not recently, but I hope it serves your purpose."

"You fought for me all these years, now it's my turn to return the favour."

Her voice was soft, almost childish. "Well, if you don´t do it, I swear I'll be mad at you."

His eyes were full of determination just like his words. "I will not rest until you come back again. I swear I'll make you fall in love with me. And this time will be different."

She tickled his arms with her soft fingers. "I'll be very angry if you do not kiss me now."

He did not need to be told twice.

Her lips brushed against his slowly. The sensation of butterflies fluttering in her stomach built up gradually as Tony laid his hands on Pepper's waist, drawing her towards him, kissing her lips softly, tracing them like glass. He would have to win her love in reality, but now he had it next to him and that was the only thing that mattered. The kiss was short, tender, when they opened their eyes, both were flushed with broken breaths.

Her smile widened considerably.

"You're doing very well," she encouraged.

Tony pulled her to him once more, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

He dared to close his eyes for the first time in her presence.

He felt content, complete.

It was a perfect time.

He just needed to do it in real life.

He was ready to repair his failures, to remove everything from his life that had ever hurt Pepper. He knew that it was not easy, he knew he needed the time and trust to create new bonds with her. Bonds that would endure and become signs of affection.

He still had an uncomfortable fear. It was the fear of loss. It was the fear of falling headfirst into the game of love and losing. It was the fear of crying again, of wanting to laugh, and of lying while wanting to tell the truth.

But Tony was a man who loved risks. He was an adventurer who had lost everything, and who relied fully on his ability to create a good scheme. He did not act like he used to do, because he had matured. He had learned from his mistakes, and now he had an immense advantage: Pepper's love finally belonged to him.

Until…

His meow very close to his ear and his scratches returned him to reality. Away from his dream, away from her.

Damn it.

His words were cold, angry. "I know a very large dog. I'll introduce you two one day".

Seraph stopped scratching him. He gave Tony an overly complex look for a cat.

"I'm not kidding," he said. This only made the cat meow stronger.

* * *

 **TBC...**

 **If you take time to read, you please take the time to comment. Let me know what you think.  
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.**

 **I invite you to read my others stories.**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hello... First I would like to thank all those people who read my story; It is amazing the support I have had. Thank you very much indeed, means a lot to me that they like my story. I really thank all who have encouraged me to continue this story.**_

 _ **Thanks to Ariana Kingsley, you are amazing. Thanks for helping me with this chapter.**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think. A big hug. Kisses, blessings and good vibes for everyone.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don´t own Iron man.**_

* * *

 _ **Coming home.**_

"It is awful." Natasha exclaimed with dismay. "Poor soul, I have never seen him like this." A silence filled in the room. The dark man could only watch her with expectation, fearing what her next words will be. "He has been cleaning, Rhodey." The woman whispered as she put her face in her hands, not believing what she was about to say. "He even bought the food."

There is an expression on Rhodey's face for which the woman is unable to place a word. She only saw him climbing up the stairs hoping for the best.

Rhodey took a deep breath before opening the door and getting into what he was sure was the clear sign of madness being present in his best friend Tony Stark.

The first thing he noticed was the smell that invaded through his breathe, it was not the classic mixture of car oil, machinery and sweat. Instead it was something else. Soft, delicious, it was the aroma of bottled forest, the spray of rain in the morning and the scent of roses mixed that filled the aroma inside the room.

Rhodey instantly felt somehow strange.

The second thing he noticed was the absence of scientific armories, suits and weapons.

Instead, Rhodey found a cozy, clean environment with everything in place and flowers. Yeah flowers! The dark man was astounded (specifically by the lilies, which were in the center of the dining room table).

Rhodey's mouth fell open.

Tony was putting the different dishes on the shelves and humming an old classical song.

Oh dear lord! This was worse, even worse than he thought.

"What's going on?" Rhodey questioned.

"Hello to you too, Rhodey." Tony said with a smile on his face. "Why would you think something's going on?"

"The look on your face, and this place." he responded immediately. "You are going to do something, what is it?"

Tony responded with his eyebrows lifted skeptically.

"What did you do?" he asked as he kept watching him.

"Nothing ... It's just something I have to... uh...

"Tony ... Will you stop rambling and begin to explain to me what the hell happened. Why the hell is everything so clean?"

He left his task to sit in his chair, followed by Rhodey.

"After years of endless complaints and useless conversations, I have come to this conclusion that a cleaner environment can be beneficial for future projects."

Rhodey didn't look twice at him. "I'm your friend, and I'm not going to buy that."

"It has been studied in recent scientific researches that specific environments can promote the neuronal reactivation allowing the subject to evoke old memories." He recited without blinking.

"Now I'm totally lost,". Rhodey blinked. "I don't understand what are you trying to say, Tony."

Tony shaked his head. "It's so obvious, Rhodey. Way back when all this started, the experiment. Pepper Potts living with me. The right environment will revoke her love for me and in conclusion her memories in the blink of an eye. "

The man let out a shocked breath. "You can't be serious!, she has a flat, that is her right environment."

A quick, light chuckle escaped fron Tony's lips. "Too late for that. " He folded his arms childishly. "I already talked to her contractor. He has begun to demolish the flat. The remodeling will take at least six weeks."

Rhodey scowled fiercely at him for a moment, then sighed. "You can't be serious about this."

"You should be less surprised than you are by that, surely."

Rhodey gave him a look. "I guess the old traditions never disappear completely." Yet he continued. "You realize that she may not want to come and live with you. That at some point Pepper will find out that you're lying to her and she'll be very pissed off at you. "

"That depends on how you define a lie. I define it as not telling the truth." Tony defended himself with a glare.

"Mate… Rhodey began sadly.

His posture remained rigid but there was something in his eyes that told a different story. "She will accept to come and live with me. And she will love me eventually. At least that's what I'm betting on." he said. "Temptation is the whole point of the exercise." Tony retorted.

Rhodey's lips twitched.

"Modesty is not your thing". Rodhey reminded him, and Tony laughed without humor.

"I really don't think that's a good idea. You should not push her to remember, Tony."

"Why shouldn't I?" Tony demanded.

"She has many of her memories on her flat. You have to let her do it by herself." He said, noticing his gesture.

Rhodey could see the internal struggle passing through the eyes of his friend. Rhodey was right but Tony was determined,"Damn. She´s hurt. And if I know Pepper… she´s terrified but won´t admit it. "

"Tony." The dark man argued knowingly that his friend would not accept his words."Let her remember everything in her own terms."

"Duly noted, now get off." Tony growled back, leaving his friend alone in the room.

After watching him stomp out of the his chair he followed him to the kitchen. Tony moved his hands from side to side looking for his favorite drink. His jaw was stiff and his eyes screamed storm.

Rhodey wanted to make sure that he was okay. He knew that Pepper would´ve wanted him to make sure that he was.

Rhodey noticed the situation, and approached his friend to pat his shoulder in sign of support. "Tony."

Tony turned toward his friend and shook his head. "I begged her, Rhodey. I begged her to come back to me and she did and I still lost her. How could I still lose her? After everything we´ve been through she´s going to slip thorough my fingers without even the memory of our time together. How can you call that fair? "

"You haven´t lost her yet. She´s still in there. You just have to reach her." Rhodey sounded hopeful.

"That´s why she has to came to live with me."

Rhodey snorted resignedly. "In this world, there are many ways to love Tony, and the most beautiful you can find is the one where the other person is able to give until it hurts no matter if they will receive something in return, and she was able to do it. It´s just like the last time. You have to show her that you´re different."

Tony considered it in his mind for a painfully long moment before nodding in agreement.

Sooner or later she was going to learn what had happened over the last years, including the changes Tony had gone through; and he had to believe that she would swing around to him again, like she had the first time. She has to.

 _Because there is no other option._

 _He couln´t go on without her. He knew that._

* * *

She groaned as she shifted in her hospital bed. This paper thin gown they´d give her was scratching every inch of her skin. She just wanted to go to her flat. A knock on her door shook her out of her thoughts. She quickly put on a brave mask as a nicely Dr. Hazel entered the room.

"Good morning. Miss Potts." He smiled. "How are you feeling today?"

Her answer was honest. "Still struggling to remember who all of these people are."

"Give it time, don´t rush anything. These things take time."

Pepper pressed her lips together and the Doctor could see her struggling to remember the details that were missing, he soothingly touched her arm pullling her brown eyes to him. "Don´t forcé it upon yourself, you will remember it all soon enough. "

She sucked in a deep breath before exhaling."I wish I had your belief. "

The man was attentive enough to give her a friendly smile. I've seen a couple of cases like yours. "Patience is the key to success, Miss Potts." He observed her again taking notes, later he spoke. "Also I do have very good news. CT scan does not reveal patterns of malignancy or damage. Blood tests were normal. The only thing that will be kept for a couple of weeks is the ferula in your right hand. "

Her eyes opened in understanding. "That means that...

"You can return to your home, that will make your recovery much more enjoyable. " The Dr. concluded.

Pepper wasn't sure what to feel. Part of her wanted to be alone in her flat, but the other part knew that if she allowed herself to be alone. She would be terrified.

Could she remember her life? Or would she be doomed to live without her memories?

She didn´t know the answer to any of those questions. But she'll find it out soon enough.

* * *

When they entered the room, the change in atmosphere was evident.

She has this incredible smile on her face. Rhodey found himself smiling in return.

She burst into giggles as she sees them. "I´m going home."

"That´s a big development Potts" Rhodey said excited.

"Dr. Hazel says that will help me remember. And I never thought I would say something like that, but I do not like hospitals. Or at least not be patient in one of them."

Tony looked at her, something closed to confusion behind his eyes.

"What?"

"You can not go back to your flat."

Pepper automatically crossed her shoulders giving him a look of confusion. "I do not think you can decide that. "

Rhodey was quick to respond before his best friend could even speak. "The thing is Potts that... a couple of weeks ago your flat suffered a problem, one of the walls collapsed. Nothing too serious. But the landlord decided that a change should be made. So it's under renovation for a few weeks."

Rhodey look at Tony sideways. "Maybe a couple of months. "

The feeling of nervousness and fear seized her body quickly.

Pepper tilted her head to the side, contemplating Rhodey´s words.

Oh…

That means she would be out of her life, her memories and everything that could help her focus on remembering.

The realisation made her feel a little sick.

"Don´t distress yourself, Pepper. We collected enough of your personal items, clothes, and photos to help you remember. "Tony´s lips spread in a slow smile. Heat rushed to Pepper's face."You can stay in my house, there are a lot of rooms in perfect conditions. And you had already decided to stay there."

He said in a tone that only betrayed his lie.

"I cant´s stay there." Pepper protested automatically. "Maybe a hotel."

Tony clenched his teeth. "Why must you always be so stubborn? Even when you lost your memory?"

"I barely know you."

A muscle jerked in Tony´s jaw, but when he spoke his voice was level,even soothing. "You do, and very well just, you don´t remeber it. "

"What if I stays with Happy or Killian?"

Tony winced. "I´m afraid that´s not an option. "

Perhaps he didn't understand the idea of wanting something and not getting it. And that's why he looked at her like this now, with a lopsided smile and excuses coming out of his beautiful, fleshy lips.

"Maybe we could alternate: one month in your house, one month in a hotel."

She watched him carefully. "No." He pronounced.

"You need somebody to look after you at least until that drug gets out of your system." He huffed. She felt her chest tightened at his response. "So please listen to me, stay in my house with me and let me… I mean us take care of you."

Pepper struggled silently with herself, torn in a battle between her heart and her head. She wanted answers. She needed to know why her emotions were tossing her around as if she sat in a row boat on the sea in the middle of a hurricane when he was all around.

When he put it like that, it almost sense.

"All right. " She said at last. "For a couple of days, at least. "

"Deal." Tony smirked with a big smile on his face.

Pepper would return to his house with him.

And in a blink of eyes she would love him again.

How hard could it be?

Nothing could go wrong. Or so he thought.

Sadly, Tony would soon realize it.

* * *

 **TBC...**

 **If you take time to read, you please take the time to comment. Let me know what you think.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.**

 **I invite you to read my others stories.**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hello. I'm back.**_

 _ **First I want to thank all those people who read my story; It is amazing the support I had. Thank you very much indeed, means a lot to me that they like my story. I really thank all who have encouraged me to continue this story.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

 _ **Thanks to**_ _ **NeverNik**_ _ **.**_ _ **Who helped me with this chapter and was kind to me.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: This fanfiction is not written for profit and no infringement of copyright is intended. Disclaimer: I don´t own Iron man.**_

 _ **A hug, have a good day**_

* * *

 **SIX**

 **Flashback**

 _Tony, it's pretty bad._

 _It's Rhodey who says it, almost on the verge of crying._

 _But it's Pepper who swallows the lump in her throat and runs to his house._

 _When the first blow hits the puching bag, his heart beats strongly against his chest. His eyes are hard, full of so many emotions that Pepper has to look away._

 _The second blow is much stronger, more intense. So is the third._

 _On the seventy-ninth, his knuckles are a red mess; bruised, a color close to purple._

 _His face doesn't show any emotion; but even so, his mercurial eyes say it all._

 _Tony doesn't stop. The blows remain constant for about twenty minutes until the first scream escapes his lips and the first treacherous tear pours down his cheek._

 _Pepper makes a half-hearted attempt to move, but something in her mind screams at her._

 _No._

 _She leaves him. Lets him hit the bag, release his frustration, let out the most painful sounds she has heard from his thin lips, while tears continue to flow in a cascade, staining the perfection she associates with his chiseled face._

 _Her heart sinks every time she sees him. Hears him scream._

 _So much pain is repressed there that Pepper doesn't know how he has been able to endure._

 _How has he managed to tame it?_

 _How had he managed to isolate the beast? By closing it in the dark._

 _"Tony." Her voice comes out in a whisper._

 _When he falls to his knees, his hands are pressed to the floor, and Pepper can see the threads of blood running. His face is hidden beneath the dark, too-long strands that fall on his cheeks. It's been a while since Tony had a decent haircut._

 _She hears the sobs taking over the room, breaking her own heart into a thousand pieces over and over again._

 _He has succumbed to the void, and gradually, the man has left, kind to dreams that she really admired._

 _Tony is no more than a shadow; the reflection of a person Pepper knew._

 _That makes her feel sad. Makes her feel helpless._

 _Filled with courage, she takes a few steps towards him. She kneels in front of him, and gently brings her hands to his face, raising it with a touch of her fingers; a gentle caress._

 _When her eyes meet his, her heart skips. There is a desperation written within them, wanting to take Tony over._

 _Tony sobs, and Pepper realizes that her hands tremble when she touches his face. She takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself. Nothing will be achieved if she is nervous; anything she isn't able to master her will be in vain._

 _She moves closer to Tony while her hands caress his cheeks with special care, cleaning every salty tear. They remain silent. There is no word that can be said to console him, and there is no word that he wants to hear in such a delicate moment as this. Pepper knows._

 _Tony stands before the precipice, about to fall - and she can see it. If she doesn't do anything, he will crawl into the abyss, into a much deeper abyss, one where he will not be able to get out._

 _It's the beginning of the line that separates him from becoming a villian, and letting himself be lost._

 _Pepper has seen it before. She has seen the undoing from when she believed he had returned._

 _They were dark times, secrets kept in whispers, until Tony returned from the dead._

 _That's why she says to herself that she can't lose Tony- she has to support him, stop him from falling again._

 _Letting himself loose._

 _When his head falls on her chest, she realizes where his thoughts went._

 _Tony clings to her like a lifeline; crying like a child._

 _She kisses his dark hair, caresses his back with gentle movements and tells him how much she loves him; the things that she likes about him, the good things he achieves, how much she likes his smile, his voice._

 _Until his sobs stop._

 _Until his heart begins to beat at a quieter pace._

 _Tony doesn't say anything; nor does she._

 _Sometimes the heart, combined with silence, manages to tell us everything we need._

 _It manages to make us see clearly._

* * *

His eyes flutter a couple of times until they open. His heart is hammering in his chest from the previous memory.

The pain had seeped into his bones so deeply that every cell in his body shattered into a thousand pieces. But she was always there for him, his eternal compassion. Her kindness and dedication brought him back, back from the dark world that Ultron taught him.

Her unconditional love let him cling to her. Pepper, his Pepper, had saved him from falling; from letting himself become lost.

And now it was she who was lost.

He sighs.

He gets up from the couch and walks to the kitchen to make coffee.

The comfort is gone, giving way to a silence that takes over his home.

The melodious sound of her laughter died the day she left; and although she has returned home, it's only the memory of her laughter that clings to his mind, over and over again.

"I thought I was the only one who suffered from insomnia," she declares awkwardly from behind him.

 _I can't sleep without you._

She doesn't say it, but he hears it.

It has been like this for a year. He's not the only one with deep wounds; she also has scars; complex ones, as complex as his.

Maybe that's why their understanding was always tacit.

He nods. His hands play with ceramic cups of pink flowers, her favorites, serving coffee with precision.

When he turns around, her blue eyes welcome him, but there is so much conflict there that his mouth dries and his chest tightens.

"I'm a creature of strange habits," Tony says, placing the cup in front of her. His smile is comforting, or that's what he's going for. "I tend to sleep very little."

She nods and sits down in what she calls "his chair" to think.

She shrugs, and with an incredible ease, she lets go. "The body is only for transport, that's what they told me."

His answer dies on his lips. She copied his words. Can she remember, maybe?

He shakes his head, a smile appearing on his face.

Just hours after arriving, she begins to remember.

That's what he calls progress.

"Why can't you sleep?" Tonyasks, although he knows the answer.

She hesitates before speaking. Takes a sip of her cofee, first. She looks at the ground, at the wall; and finally, her eyes rest on him.

"It's silly..." she sighs. I can't remember my flat well, but it feels weird to live in a different place. Especially because I thought it would be particular. "

"Particular?" he asks.

She moves her hand to her hair, slightly ruffling it. "You don't look like the kind of man that does deep cleaning and has flowers on the table, to tell the truth."

He smiles. She is right. He's anything but a person who loves cleaning, the walls intact, and the floral smell.

But he doubts that she would get excited before an environment full of experiments and walls full of holes.

Even her Pepper had her limitations and demands on the environment in which she liked to live.

"Cleanliness is a task that my landlady loves to work on, Pepper. I can't take that pleasure away from her." He takes his own tea.

"Oh, well, that explains a lot."

"What did you think you would find here?"

"Can I be honest with you?" she asks, lowering the tone of her voice.

His answer is immediate. "Always. "

She bites her lower lip while her hand plays with the edge of the tea cup. "The internet talks about your strange habits, your crazy experiments." She doesn't look at him, but she smiles when she talks.

"One or two websites have called you Dr. Frankenstein. They claim you tried to create life in your house."

He laughs amusedly. "I'll bet they did."

She sits forward. Her voice contians a note of emotion. "So, have you done it?"

He fakes innocence by following her game. "Done what?"

She bites her lip again. . "Created life. Been Dr. Frankenstein."

Tony shakes his head. "I tried it once in my adolescence, testing the energy discharges produced by the thunder in my neighbor's dead cat. Unfortunately the only reaction I generated was horror in my mother, and commotion in my neighbor."

She smiles.

"Disappointed?"

"No, just..." She shakes her head. "But you've done other experiments in this house, with strangers, I mean?"

His arms stretch while a smile curves his lips. "Pepper Potts, let me tell you my rarest experiments, from best to worst."

She doesn't say a word, but she doesn't need it; her bright eyes to speak for her.

Hours later, when she welcomes Morpheus in her dreams, Tonygently drapes a blanket over her figure, making sure the cold doesn't take over her body.

It's all he can do, for the moment.

Watch her dreams.

Until she can remember him.

* * *

 _He laughs darkly._

 _His hand tenderly caresses her cheek, and the chill that runs through her skin makes her stop at the site._

 _His voice is velvet; however, danger screams when he approaches her to whisper: "I promised to burn his heart. Will you help me, Pepper?"_

 _She doesn't respond, and his laughter grows enough to make her feel uncomfortable._

 _"I'll burn his heart, Pepper!" he shouts excitedly._

Her eyes open in horror, as she clings to the blanket. She's awake. It was only a dream, she says to herself. Her heart beats strongly, when a single word escapes her lips.

"Killian."

* * *

 **TBC…**

 **I hope you are with me in this story. There is a fun trip to tell.**

 _ **What do you think?**_

 **Any suggestions for for new situations?**

 **If you take the time to read, please take time to comment.**

 **Feel free to let me know what you think. Questions, suggestions, opinions, anything goes.**

 **Kisses and hugs.**


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